Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Owen Balseiro9/11/12

The article that I read
was New Breed of Robotics Aims to Help People Walk Again, and it
was about how companies like Ekso are researching and creating robotic machines
to help people with physical disabilities walk again. With funding from the
military and collaborating with Berkley University they have 15 rehabilitation
centers around the country that help people with these new technologies. Though
no one is able to have one for themself yet, progress is being made towards
having this idea realized.

Other research is also being put towards military bionic
suits that allow soldiers to carry up to 200 pounds in equipment over varied
terrain. The suit can also be used to protect soldiers from the injuries of
heavy lifting including spinal injuries.

Another problem with the bionic design of the Esko is
that it is not yet ready for use at home and with all the materials that are
used to make the suit, it is going to be hard to bring the price down. But if
the military starts to use the suit more widely the price could go down.

If the suit does overcome all
of these hurdles this could be new great invention of our time. Just having
thousands of disabled war vets, or people from car accidents or people being
born with disabilities, being able to walk. Their lives could be changed
forever and no longer living a limited life because of their disabilities. This
technology could also spread to people who could be given an artificial limb
that moves just like their old one. The possibilities are endless. This suit is
a great advancement in the medical field of our time and let’s hope that the
suit gets by all boundaries so it can help the lives of thousands.